Garment press having a steaming device



June 24, 1947. J MALLQUF 2,422,917

Y GARMENT PRESS HAVING A STEAMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l WWW 4 v v AW 7 I Inflento'r 1 y Aw June 24, 1947. MALLOUF 2,422,917

GARMENT PRESS HAVING A STEAMING DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1944 2 Sheets-She t' 2 l| I I 1 v 20 v I I I 7 v 2a Patented June 24, 1947 umriao-v STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT PRESS HAVING A STEAMING DEVICE JohnMallouf, Las Vegas, N. Mex. Application October 18, 1944', Serial No. 559,209

2 Claims.

This invention relates to garment presses, and the; primary object. of the present invention is to provide, in a press. of the above kind, a novel arrangement; ofi steaming valve and operating mechtherefor thatv is characterized by compactness, extreme. simplicity, and pronounced efficiency of operation.

The exactv nature of the present. invention will become apparent. from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying; drawings, and: the invention consists in the-novel form. combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

the drawingswherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1. is a fragmentary side elevational view of a garment press embodying a steaming valve arrangement and operating mechanism for the steaming valve; in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the; upper pressing member and parts associated therewith, the view being; partly in side elevation and partly in section Figure 4; is an enlarged section taken on line "r-J. ofi Figure 2.

Figure 5. is; an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the steaming valve.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the press may be of any suitable form or construction that embodies two relatively movable pressing members between which the garment or material is pressed. As illustrated, the press comprises a suitable frame 5 carrying the lower pressing member 6 which may be heated by steam and padded as usual. The frame is provided with an upright 1 to which is pivotally connected the arm or lever 8 carrying the upper pressing member 9 and a counterweight [0. By swinging movement of said lever on its support, the upper pressing member can be pulled toward and from the lower pressing member and into and out of cooperative pressing relation therewith. Foot treadle-oper ated mechanism is usually provided for operating said lever for the application of more powerful pressure after the operator manually depresses the upper member or head 9 by the use of a handle II. The upper pressing member 9 may be heated by steam supplied to its inner chamber through a pipe l2. The member or head 9 is also constructed to provide a suitable steaming device supplied with steam through a branch l3 of the valve includes the handle I I by means of which the operator initially manually depresses the member or head 9, prior to application of his foot to the treadl for production of more powerful pressure. Handle H is carried by supports [6 attached to or forming part of the lever B, said handle being rotatable. on its own. axis relative to the supports 16. For the latter purpose, a pivot bolt H' extends through the projecting forward ends of the supports I6, and the handle H. is,

- rotatably fitted on the bolt ll between said supparts It, as clearly shown in Figure 4'.

Rigid with and rising from the member or head 9: is a' bracket is located rearwardly' of steaming valve ['4 and having the rear end of a lever H1 pivoted thereto for vertical swinging. movement. Lever I9 is of angular form so as to extend" forwardly across and in contact with the upper endof the valve rod I5; and thenforwardly and downwardly to a point at the front of the member or head 9 intermediate the ends of the latter. Ordinarily, a lever somewhat similar to lever I9" is provided which has a finger piece at the forward end thereof adapted to be depressed for opening the steaming valve, This requires the use ofthe hand that is free and not used to grasp the handle H, and necessitates reaching inwardly or rearwardly past th handle I l. The latter is not convenient, and it is objectionable because the operator should have a free hand for manipulating the garment and the like While the other hand is used to grasp the handle ll and lower the member or head 9. To overcome this objection, I provide a pair of rearwardly converging arms 20 having clamps 2| on their forward ends that fit about and are securely fastened on th ends of the handle II at the inner sides of the supports H5. The arms ll terminate at their rear ends in spaced parallel end portions 22 disposed against opposite sides of the forward end of lever l9, and a pivot bolt 23 loosely extends through the forward end of lever l9 and also through the rear ends of arms 20 so as to operatively connect the arms 20 to said lever [9.

From the above description, it will be seen that when the operator grasps the handle I l with one hand, he may lower the member or head 9 toward the member 6. In so doing, the handle II is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to Figure 3, thereby swinging the arms 20 down- 3 wardly and. causing similar movement of lever l9 so as to depress valve rod l5 and open the steaming valve 14. This causes steam to be supplied to the steaming device as the member or head 9 is being lowered, leaving one hand of the operator free to adjust the garment on the member 6, and for other purposes. Immediately prior to engagement of member 9 with member 6, the foot-operated mechanism may be utilized to force the member 9 with the desired pressure against the member 6, handle I I being released so as to allow the valve M to close under the action of its spring 24. When this takes place, the valve rod l5 elevates the lever 19 and arms 20 so that the parts are returned to normal position for the next operation. The present invention essentially consists in the arrangement of the steaming valve and the operating mechanism therefor, which are such as to provide extreme simplicity of construction, compact arrangement of parts, and eificient operation. It is simply necessary that thehandle ll be released immediately before the head 9 engages the member 6 and to utilize the foot-operated mechanism immediately prior to release of the handle I I to bring about the final lowering movement of head 9 and the desired pressure of the latter against the member 6. This slight amount of care will avoid supply of steam to the steaming device when the press is closed, without the use of special means for preventing this occurrence.

What I claim is:

1. In a garment press, a stationary lower pressing member, a vertically movable upper pressing member having a steaming device, a steaming Valve for controlling flow of steam to the steaming device and arranged above the upper pressing member, said valve including an upwardly seating valve member having an upwardly projecting rod and a seating spring to allow closing of the said valve under its action, a bracket carried by the upper pressing member rearwardly of said steaming valve, a lever pivoted at one end to said bracket for vertical swinging movement, said lever extending forwardly across and in contact with the upper end of said valve rod and then forwardly and downwardly to a point at the front of the upper pressing member, spaced supports projecting forwardly from said upper pressing member at opposite sides of said lever, a handle disposed between and supported by the forward 4 ends of said supports, said handle extending transversely of the lever and rotatably mounted on its own axis, and at least one arm fixed to said handle and projecting rearwardly to a point beside the forward end of said lever, the rear end of said at least one arm being loosely pivoted to the forward end of said lever so that use of the handle in lowering the upper pressing member will eifect depression of the arm and actuation of the lever to open the steaming valve.

2. In a garment press, the combination of a stationary lower pressing member, a vertically movable upper pressing member having a steaming device, a vertically swinging lever including spaced supports carrying and extending across said upper pressing member, a normally closed valve for controlling flow of steam to said steaming device, said valve being disposed above and having its outlet rigidly connected to the upper pressing member between said supports and including a member depressible to open the same, a bracket rigid with and rising from the upper pressing member behind said valve, a pivot bolt connecting the forward ends of said supports and having a handle rotatably mounted thereon, a pair of rearwardly converging arms clamped at their forward ends on the ends of said handle, a second lever pivoted at one end to said bracket and loosely pivoted at its other end to and between the rear ends of said arms, said second lever resting on said depressible member in position to depress the same when the handle is gripped and turned while swinging the upper pressing member downwardly,

. JOHN MALLOUF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Savino Dec. 31, 1912 

